Swamp buggy

ABSTRACT

An articulated swamp buggy vehicle including coupling means which allows yaw and roll movement of the vehicle at the point of articulation. The coupling means can be locked for roll while continuing to permit yaw movements thus enabling steering of the articulated unit.

O Umted States Patent 1 3,568,788

[72] Inventor Harold Mayeaux 2,479,134 8/1949 Porter 115/1 Rte. 2, BOX 172, HOlIll'lfl, La- 7 36 2,883,774 4/1959 Clifford l80/5OX [21] Appl. No. 773,749 3,159,229 12/1964 Thwaites 180/51 [22] Filed Nov.6, 1968 3,253,671 5/1966 Fielding 180/51 [45] Patented Mar. 9, 1971 3,291,244 12/1966 Garrett 180/51 3,434,739 3/1969 Schoonover 180/51X 3,349,932 /1967 Wagner 180/51UX SWAMP g g 3,370,730 2/1968 Fielding 214/778 [52] zg zl raw gFlgs' 180,51 Primary Examiner-A. Harry Levy 1 15/1 280/ 09 Attorney Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher v [51] lnt.Cl alk 4; B62d 63/02 Field ofSearch 180/50, 51,

l15/l; 214/7 3 ABSTRACT: An articulated swamp buggy vehicle including coupling means which allows yaw and roll movement of the [56] References cued vehicle at the point of articulation. The coupling means can be UNYTED STATES PATENTS locked for roll while continuing to permit yaw movements 2,187,658 1/1940 Laneetal. /1

thus enabling steering of the articulated unit.

PATENTEU mm elsn sum-1 or; 4

PATEN TEU me man SHEET 2 BF 4 N v \8 W h Z INVENTOR 6428040 MHFEAUX ATTORNEYS tion and at least one subsequent portion which may be used for passengers and/or materials to be transportedi I There is at present no satisfactoryvehicle for maneuvering in swamps which are particularly heavilywooded. Such a vehicle necessarily requires the abilityto make shortfsnakelike movements to avoid obstacles and *to' take the, freest path available for traveLThe present invention has as a primary object the provision of an articulated vehiclefor use in swamps which is capable of yaw and roll movements, at the point of articulation, so that rapid turns may be easily effected in a swamp environment. I f

Another object of the present invention is to provide an articulated swamp buggy which may be lockedfor roll, while continuing to havethe ability to yaw, to' enable the vehicle to travel across open water. v I a It is a further. object of this invention-to provide anew and novel coupling means for attaching'portions of an-articulated swamp buggy. a I v v It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved steering means for articulated swamp buggies [which use hydraulic means. 1

. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide ing column 44, and the normal clutch, brake, and accelerator foot pedals schematically indicated as 45.

The trailer portion 12 generally comprises a frame 46 having mounted thereon a suitable body 47. The body may be merely a substantially empty rectangular shell or be provided with seats, benches, tanks or compartments to suit various needs. I

The coupling 11 is shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 5. Referring first to FIG. 5 it will be noted that a C-shaped member 48 is attached to the rear. portion of frame 14. A vertically extending pin 49 passes through the open end portion of the member 48. The front portion of the trailer frame 46 has a i horizontally mounted pin 50 passing through the frame suba swamp buggy which may be readily-and economically produced.

The means for accomplishing the foregoing objects and I other advantages, which will be apparent 'tothose skilled in the art, are set forth in the following specificationfand claims a and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings dealing with a basic embodiment of the presentinvention.

Reference is made now to the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the swamp buggy; .FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section, of theinve'ntion shown in FIG. 1; I 1

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3+3 of FIG.

2; FIG. 4 is a rear elevation'of the subject invention; 7

FIG. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal sectionalview of the coupling structure taken along line5 .5 of FIG. 3 1 FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view'ofthe drive transmission mechanism,

FIG. 7 isa top plan view illustrating the great flexibility and sharp turning capabilities of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through a wheel of this invention. e a

The inventive swamp buggy is comprised of three main parts. First'there is the front frame 10, which includes the drive mechanism, the swivellinkage l1, which'connects the portions of the articulated vehicle, and the trailerportion 12 which is used to transport equipment and personnel.

Considering first the front frame and drive means, the en- 15 leading to a transmission housing .16 (shown in greater detail in FIG. 6). The transmission within the housing 16 in-.

cludes a first sprocket gear 17 and a second: larger sprocket gear 18 with at least one chain drive l9interconnecting the gears. The second gear 18 is mounted, on a shaft20, the ends of which are connected to universal couplings '21 and 22. Coupling 22 is connected to a drive rodf23 'tli'e other end of which is connected to a further universal coupling 24 which in turn drives front differential 25 to drive wheels'26 and 27 which are mounted on axles 28 and 29; Coupling Zlis connected through shaft 30 to a universal coupling 31,;drive shaft 32 and universal coupling33 to a rear differential 34-on the trailer portion which in turn drives wheels 35 and '36 through axles 37 and 38, respectively. Of course, the drive shafts may be supported by bearings 39 as necessary. This arrangement provides for all wheel drive of the vehicle though, of course, it would not be necessary to drive all wheels. v 1

Further ancillary features of thefront frame may include a bumper 40, a winch 41 driven by shaft 42 which is driven by a power takeofi' from the engine 1-3, 'thedrivers Is'eat 43, steerstantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof. The

coupling further includes a swivel linkage member 51 which generally has a rectangularly shaped rear portion 52 with forwardly extending flanges 53. The pin '49 passes through a tubular member 54 fastened to the flanges 53. The pin passes horizontally through the rear portion 52 of this member.

Referring to FIG. 3 it will be noted that there are two further flanges 55 and 56 extending laterally outwardly from the top of the rear portion of the coupling 11 with screw members 57 and 58 mounted-on the outer ends of the flanges 55 and 56.

It willbe clear from the above description and the drawings that the articulation of the vehicle in the'yaw direction will be a rotational movement about the pin 49. -Any rolling movement will take place about the pin 50. It will also be clear that because of the perpendicular arrangement of the pins 49 and 50, there will be no possibility for effecting a pitching movement between the two articulated portions of ,the vehicle. When it is desired to lock the trailer'to prevent a rolling movement, the screw means 57 and 58 are turned downwardly until they engage the upper portion of the frame 46. This engagement of the pair of spaced screws with the frame member 46 will prevent any rolling movement about pin 50.

FIG. 1 shows, by the double headed arrows, the direction of movement for the portions of the vehicle during a yaw movement and FIGS. 3 and 4 show, by the double headed arrows, the rolling movement which may beattained by the vehicle.

. The steering of the vehicle is accomplished through means of at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 59 which is mounted between bracket 60 which is fixedly attached to frame 14, and bracket 61 which extends laterally outwardly from coupling member 51. Control of the hydraulic member is effected through the steering mechanism which includes valves (not shown) to control the selective passage of fluid into the piston-cylinder unit 59 to displace the piston one way or another and thereby selectively extend and retract the piston rod 62, thus efiectively pulling or pushing the units together or apart about the point of articulation.

FIG. 7 shows a yaw or turning movement effected by extending the piston-cylinder rod 62, thus accomplishing a lefthand turn.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of one of the wheels used in the vehicle in'which a wheel 63 is mounted on one of the axles and includes a flotation chamber 64 with the tire 65 mounted on the outer edge portion of the wheel. The cover plate 66 covers the end of the wheel and provides access to the axle so that the wheel may readily be changed.

without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalency of the claims are therefore to be embraced herein.

Iclaim: I. An articulated swamp buggy capable of effecting yaw and roll movements comprising a first-frame member having at least a set of wheels thereon, a second frame member having at least one set of wheels thereon, engine means mounted on one of said frames, transmission means selectively connecting the power output of said engine to at least one of said sets of wheels, and coupling means coupling said first and second frame members together and allowing said frame members to yaw and roll with respect to each other, said coupling member comprising a pair of vertically spaced, aligned first flanges on one of said frame members, a substantially vertically directed first pin passing between said first flanges, a substantially horizontally extending second pin passing through the other said frame member substantially perpendicular to said first pin, a swivel linkage member including a substantially rectangular rear portion with two forwardly extending parallel spaced second flanges, said swivel linkage member being mounted with said rectangular rear portion encompassing a portion of said other frame member with said second pin passing therethrough and said first pin passing through said second flanges, a pair of third flanges mounted on said swivel linkage member extending substantially perpendicular to said second flanges, screw means passing through the outer ends of said third flanges to selectively engage with said other frame member whereby positioning of said screw means into engagement with said other frame member prevents relative roll movement between said first and second frame members.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said power is transmitted to at least one set of wheels of each said frame member to effect an all wheel drive.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a steering means, said steering means comprising a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder unit with said cylinder pivotally mounted on one of said frames and the piston operatively connected to the other of said frames, means to selectively actuate said piston-cylinder whereby movement of said piston within said cylinder will effect a yaw motion between said first and second frame members to enable steering,

4. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each said wheel includes at least one flotation chamber. 

1. An articulated swamp buggy capable of effecting yaw and roll movements comprising a first frame member having at least a set of wheels thereon, a second frame member having at least one set of wheels thereon, engine means mounted on one of said frames, transmission means selectively connecting the power output of said engine to at least one of said sets of wheels, and coupling means coupling said first and second frame members together and allowing said frame members to yaw and roll with respect to each other, said coupling member comprising a pair of vertically spaced, aligned first flanges on one of said frame members, a substantially vertically directed first pin passing between said first flanges, a substantially horizontally extending second pin passing through the other said frame member substantially perpendicular to said first pin, a swivel linkage member including a substantially rectangular rear portion with two forwardly extending parallel spaced second flanges, said swivel linkage member being mounted with said rectangular rear portion encompassing a portion of said other frame member with said second pin passing therethrough and said first pin passing through said second flanges, a pair of third flanges mounted on said swivel linkage member extending substantially perpendicular to said second flanges, screw means passing through the outer ends of said third flanges to selectively engage with said other frame member whereby positioning of said screw means into engagement with said other frame member prevents relative roll movement between said first and second frame members.
 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said power is transmitted to at least one set of wheels of each said frame member to effect an all wheel drive.
 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a steering means, said steering means comprising a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder unit with said cylinder pivotally mounted on one of said frames and the piston operatively connected to the other of said frames, means to selectively actuate said piston-cylinder whereby movement of said piston within said cylinder will effect a yaw motion between said first and second frame members to enable steering.
 4. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each said wheel includes at least one flotation chamber. 